Authors

Tim Goodman

Sector lead: Oil and Gas

Tim Goodman is a director at Hermes EOS and sector lead for oil and gas. He is also responsible for Hermes EOS’ activities in North America. Previously, he worked in the insurance industry and held a number of senior operational management roles before acting as a company secretary at a UK-listed company. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, having obtained the institute prize for the best overall performance when he qualified. Tim is a regular speaker on governance-related matters, a former member of the US Council of Institutional Investors’ corporate governance advisory council and a former chair of the UK Quoted Companies Alliance corporate governance committee. He is currently on the ESG advisory board of US law firm Grant & Eisenhofer.

US multinational Citigroup is one of the world’s systemically important financial institutions.
Background : In the aftermath of the financial crisis, we began engaging intensively with the systemically important financial institutions. This was not only because of destruction in value at those companies as a result of the crisis. It is also because their financial health and good behaviour towards their clients and customers is vital to minimise the risks of a similar profound shock to the global economy and to wider economic prosperity. As one of the world’s largest banks, Citigroup (Citi) falls into this group.

Duke Energy is one of the largest electricity generators in the US.
Background
Our engagement with the company began in earnest in the aftermath of the serious spill of coal ash at one of the company’s disused sites in early 2014. The incident highlighted in our view that the board needed some refreshment, as it included some long-tenured directors who did not have the obvious skills to steward the company during this difficult period.
However, as it is one of the largest greenhouse gas emitters in the world, climate change has become an increasing focus of our engagement.

Leading our oil and gas work, I have met many oil and gas majors and related service companies in office settings and in the field, particularly in North America. The industry loves to say that health, safety and the environment are its priorities. However, it is sometimes what companies do or not do rather than what they say that is revealing. To that extent, I have developed my handrail and seat belt test. This is based on interactions with companies that can give far greater qualitative insights than desk-based research companies and asset managers are capable of providing.

One of the largest companies in the world, Microsoft is a global leader in software, services, devices and solutions that aim to help, in the words of its mission statement, to “empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more”. With such a bold purpose, we are pleased that the company seems to take its human rights obligations seriously.